Registrant:
The Mental Block (AYPLBRZAUD)
1000 East Wooster
Bowling Green, OH 43403
US
Domain Name: THEMENTALBLOCK.NET
Administrative Contact, Technical Contact:
Channel, Dr. Phil (35953338P) mentalblock2@hotmail.com
1000 East Wooster
Bowling Green, OH 43403
US
419 372 2741
Record expires on 11-Sep-2004.
Record created on 11-Sep-2003.
Database last updated on 16-Mar-2004 19:42:15 EST.
Domain servers in listed order:
NS27.1AND1.COM 217.160.224.3
NS28.1AND1.COM 217.160.228.3
posted by Guest at 07:42 P.M. EST on Tue Mar 16, 2004 #
That's interesting, but what about what the original dude wanted to know?
I mean, I can make that stuff up and create fake addresses.
It would be cool though if a Toledo bar owner is the guy. Finally striking back.
posted by Guest at 08:18 P.M. EST on Tue Mar 16, 2004 #
Being fake, it'd be easy as hell for anyone to fake a letter to change the registration to someone else, and take the site down.
Hell, providing false info in registering a domain name is grounds for termination of the domain name.
posted by Guest at 12:22 A.M. EST on Wed Mar 17, 2004 #
That's why the discussion that was overheard about John Orr - Or was it John Orr bragging that he is da man? - Is more important than faked internet registrations.
I would want the domain name. How does one go about that?
posted by Guest at 06:42 A.M. EST on Wed Mar 17, 2004 #
So Dr. Phil is behind thementalblock.net!?
I guess Oprah is working with jr?
I didn't ask about this to get anyone in trouble. I just thought it would be a cool discussion on the only real blog in Toledo.
Discussions about who registered the domain wasn't what I was looking for.
My friend - a real person - claims to have heard John Orr discuss the fact that he is in charge of thementalblock.net.
I am wondering if anyone else has heard John Orr make the same claim.
As you can tell, my friend and I are having an argument about this.
I think that thementalblock.net is being run by someone in government center.
Oh, well. Time will tell.
posted by axilroze at 10:01 A.M. EST on Wed Mar 17, 2004 #
I keep reading all this praise about thementalblock.net like it's some second coming of Drudge. While the site is entertaining to a point, it's also extremely biased and one sided. I certainly hope nobody mistakes it for fair and accurate reporting.
For example: On Page 3 of the current edition, the anonymous writer is bemoaning the loss of a busiess called "Blue Jeans" and an owner he calls "smart, involved" and "the best and the brightest." He also claims the reason for her bar closing is "because the city hamstrung all her efforts."
As proof of his claims, he points to the letter written by the former bar owner. Here is the entire letter.
To : mentalblock2@xxxxxx.com
Subject : Another bar out of business
Blu Jeans Cafe closed on February 26, 2004. Not a well known bar in the city, but a bar that at least one member of City Council has heard of in his travels around Toledo.
As a professional woman who has lived and worked in Toledo for her entire life, and one that invested in Blu Jeans, I can safely say that I now understand the cause of "brain drain" in Toledo. I, for one, am planning on leaving my city, taking my law degree and settling in another state.
Job well done, Toledo City Council.
Where is the evidence of either the woman being the best or the brightest and more importantly, where does it describe how the city "hamstrung all her efforts?" It would have at least been nice for him to get the name of the bar correct. It would be even nicer for the author to take some responsibility and put their name on their work.
This is exactly the kind of biased journalism that people (including thementalblock.net) accuse the Blade of practicing.
-Dan
posted by photodan at 12:20 P.M. EST on Wed Mar 17, 2004 #
Sorry to say, Oprah is not working with me.
When did the Bronze Boar get downgraded to the Brass Boar? Or is brass better than bronze? There used to be jazz smoking lounge called the Brass Stallion at Douglas and Sylvania, which is now home to one of the best Mexican restaurants in town called El Camino.
Smoked my first cigar at the Boar. Ditto for the other two stogies. I wonder if I lose my non-smoker status after torching three sticks? I haven't been to the Boar in months since the humidor was almost bare.
Last fall, a worker at the Boar said it would cost $24,000 to make the Boar into a compliant smoking lounge. The cigar area is upstairs, and apparently Toledo's clean air ordinance requires a smoking lounge to be handicap accessible. So a lift mechanism would be needed at the Boar, and I guess Orr wasn't going to pay for it. The Boar is in a historic building. I wonder if a bunch of construction would have ruined the original interior of the structure?
I have no idea if Orr is the author of The Mental Block. Based upon some of the content, I thought the author was a government worker or someone who worked closely with city officials. Now maybe people go into a bar and after a few drinks start spilling the goods. I bet a lot of bartenders hear more than they'd like to.
I enjoy perusing The Mental Block website. I was wondering about this story from its current front page ...
"In a big hush-hush deal, the city offered the Erie Street Market to the Toledo School for the Arts last week. Word of the offer leaked out to some of the remaining market vendors, who are outraged that the city would go behind their backs and make a deal to put them out on the street. Several are looking to get out of the market. It looks like Portside all over again."
Seems to me the author of the Mental Block would need some "inside" connections and know a lot of people. Or maybe just have an accessible ear.
posted by jr at 02:24 P.M. EST on Wed Mar 17, 2004 #
Darn, jr, I was hoping that Oprah would make a few pithy comments, here. Thanks for letting me down politely.
Oops! Bronze, yes indeed.
In terms of the metal - brass versus bronze - I think bronze at least sounds more expensive.
A bartender would have a little more information on the "happenings", I guess, than an accountant - maybe not a treasurer, though.
Let's start this again. My friend was having a beer at The BRONZE Boar, and overheard John Orr make a statement that made my friend absolutely convinced that John Orr is the author or webmaster or "in charge" (whatever the internet lingo is...) of thementalblock.net
jr, I agree with you, that it would be unlikely that such a bar owner from a small (but really nice) establishment would know all this information. That's why I'm here. I would think that others would have heard the same information regarding his TheMentalBlock authorship , if it were true. If others have heard, why not share it? Allow my friend to win a bet - She'll split the money with you.
posted by axilroze at 03:48 P.M. EST on Wed Mar 17, 2004 #
"... it would be unlikely that such a bar owner from a small (but really nice) establishment would know all this information."
I wouldn't say unlikely. I just never thought about the author being a bar owner, that's all. But after thinkg about it, why not a bar owner? Orr has worked downtown for a few years. He used to have a business in the Erie Street Market, which he closed once his bar got going. I'm guessing he's quite familiar with the local bureaucracy. He probably knows a lot of people and hears a lot of things. Since Orr is a bar owner under the smoking ban, he now has a personal axe to grind with city government.
Last year, the Toledo City Paper did a story on The Mental Block. I'll have to dig through my old copies and see if I can find it, but I'm certain no name of ownership was mentioned. In fact, I think the story gave the impression that the author was a mysterious character lurking in the background.
posted by jr at 04:12 P.M. EST on Wed Mar 17, 2004 #
Thanks, jr.
I appreciate your research.
I don't mean to obsess about this. It's just that, well, I got into that disagreement.
Now, I do believe, that maybe I'm wrong and will have to pay up. John Orr may, in fact, be the author of thementalblock.net.
Also, it is obvious that you are able to be very critical of the media (and others) in Toledo without such mysterious anonymity.
I appreciate the fact that you place your own integrity behind your work, while Mr. Orr (or whomever) finds it safer to take pot-shots in the dark while hiding from the public that he (they) claim to be serving.
posted by axilroze at 05:13 P.M. EST on Wed Mar 17, 2004 #
Axil, it's not so hard to be critical (about media *or* government) when you support your arguments with facts and valid arguments.
-Dan
posted by photodan at 08:57 P.M. EST on Wed Mar 17, 2004 #
Dan,
I agree. The First Admendment certainly extends to us all, regardless of whether we act responsibly, it seems.
Facts and valid arguments are used by those who are held accountable. In the case of thementalblock.net, they claim to represent the smoking, bar owning/visiting group that suffers from the smoking ban. Well and good, but why the secrecy? Could it be that John Orr and his group don't really believe in their own cause? If they did believe their own words, then they would attach their names and, thus, their reputations to such material.
posted by axilroze at 10:41 P.M. EST on Wed Mar 17, 2004 #
I don't think I have "work" published here. Except for my opinions, I don't produce original content like the author of Mental does. The Mental attempts to be a news source. Since Toledo Talk is a community site, anyone could publish original content to the front page. I'm too lazy. It's easier to link to existing news stories. I would rather read than write. I only post here as much as I do, because hardly anyone else does. I don't consider Toledo Talk my personal site. If I had a personal site, it would be devoted to birding, which would bore most people.
I've considered reporting on a few things I care about, but I haven't got past the thinking-about-it stage. With a blog, a little time, oral communication skills, a digital camera, and some writing capability, anyone could get into the publishing game. I think that's the good part of the Internet. It allows for more voices to be easily heard. We have to sort through, however, what's real and what's fiction. But it gives us something to think about, or it causes us to research a topic further.
[** For example, here's an assignment for someone. Find out the latest about Toledo government possibly telling Mexican business owners in the Viva neighborhood that they can no longer display their culture's colors on their storefronts. The original story on this topic came out on Nov 14 by The Blade. There was suppose to be a city meeting about this in December, but I have not seen anything more about it. I keep saying I'm going to visit the business owners and call City Council to find out what's happened. The ordinance, if passed, would apply to any business in the city. To me, a law like this removes some of the charm of an ethnic neighborhood. **]
The anonymity thing with the Internet doesn't bother me. Some people are shy, and some want their face and name plastered all over the web. Some use aliases for their e-mail addresses and usernames, and some use their real names. Some make their phone numbers unlisted. We're all different. I say, do whatever is comfortable. If remaining anonymous encourages more people to write and share their lives, knowledge, and opinions on the web, then that's a good thing.
With all that said, a person or a site wanting to be taken seriously as a news organization would probably be more accepted if they weren't anonymous like the Mental author. But maybe being taken seriously is not the goal of the Mental's author. That's fine. I'll check out the site either way.
For a different take, look at the Toledo Buzz. The publisher's name, Darrel Richter, and picture are listed on the front page. I think Darrel used to work for one of the local TV news stations, but now he does his own work. Darrel has been a guest on local radio and TV to discuss his content.
For someone who prefers to read than write, I have trouble posting a short response.
posted by jr at 01:28 A.M. EST on Thu Mar 18, 2004 #
Dan,
Thanks for all of your comments.
Please send me an email when you find out whether John Orr is the author of thementalblock.net or not.
I could really use some help, here. I think I need to rethink my bet on this. It's too open ended. I think that I got myself in the position of having to prove a negative.
Thanks!
Axil
posted by axilroze at 08:16 A.M. EST on Thu Mar 18, 2004 #
Axil,
So what will it take? Will your friend accept an anonymous email as proof?
For what it's worth, most people around government center think it's John Orr.
posted by Guest at 09:34 A.M. EST on Thu Mar 18, 2004 #
axil, I think i'll leave the "mental" investigation to the J-Team or whatever the tv news folks call themselves this week. Thanks for your comments too, it great to see good discussion about Toledo topics. It seems to happen so rarely.
jr, believe me, trying to foster intelligent conversation about Toledo things *is* work. I'm very glad you started this Web site. Thanks!
-Dan
posted by photodan at 09:45 A.M. EST on Thu Mar 18, 2004 #
Hey Guest!
Thanks for actually giving me a reall answer!
So, "most people around government center think it's John Orr."??
Did this rumor start in the County Treasurer's
office? Cause if it came from there, then it would be more believable.
I have thought that the web page really belonged to Ray Kest.
Like jr said, it could very well be John Orr. A bar owner could have access to heavy drinkers in government that the rest of us would never have.
Guest: If you wouldn't mind, please post anything else that you might be able to say without giving away your identity. Or please feel free to email me.
Axil
posted by axilroze at 07:30 A.M. EST on Fri Mar 19, 2004 #
You folks give away the identity of the mental block author and we'll lose it. It's our only source of truthful news in this town.
Let it rest. If you want to know who it is, then that tells me that you work for the Blade or the Blocks.
posted by Guest at 08:39 P.M. EST on Sat Mar 20, 2004 #
"You folks give away the identity of the mental block author and we'll lose it."
What?! So anonymity is a requirement for the survival of the mental block? What can public knowledge of the author have to do with loss of thementalblock? Now, if John Orr ( or whomever ) is bashfull, then he shouldn't tell people in his bar that he is involved with the site.
"Let it rest."
Is that a request or an order? Who are you to demand that we shouldn't discuss this or anything, else?
If the moderator wants this dicussion to end, then he can do so. You have no right to make any demands, here or anywhere else, for that matter.
"If you want to know who it is, then that tells me that you work for the Blade or the Blocks."
If that is what it takes for you to conclude who is employed by whom, then my conclusion is that you are either employed by Orr or Ray Kest, or both.
posted by axilroze at 09:08 P.M. EST on Sun Mar 21, 2004 #
Oh, grow up. It was a suggestion. I don't make demands. As they say on all the loser talk shows (Springer), "you don't know me". So, Knock the chip off your shoulder.
I happen to work for the Blocks. I hate their politics, but I will give them this - they are very generous as employers go in this town.
Have a nice day!
posted by NativeToledoan at 10:50 P.M. EST on Sun Mar 21, 2004 #
Somebody just told me about this web page. It is a surprise to find my name all over the page. I am very flattered that somebody thinks I am doing the mental block but I have nothing to do with it. I myself only heard about it for the first time in the City Paper a couple of months ago. I read the mental block once in a while and some things I agree with and some I don’t. I put in long hours at the Bronze Boar and don’t have time to do much else except run the business.
What AxilRoze or his source claims he or she heard can’t possibly be what I actually said. But Roze and his source are welcome to stop by the bar and talk to me personally about it. Trolling for rumors and making unsubstantiated allegations about me at toledotalk is not a good way to get accurate information.
Please stop in sometime, the Mud Hens start April 8th and we're kitty corner from homeplate. We have the largest selection of imported beers and single malt whiskeys in town and a restocked humidor with cigar smoking on the downstairs patio and upstairs deck. There is a wine tasting every Wednesday at 7 pm. Look us up at www.bronzeboar.com
Thanks for the flattery anyway.
John Orr
The Bronze Boar
20 S. Huron
Toledo
posted by Guest at 12:22 A.M. EST on Mon Mar 22, 2004 #
John,
Free publicity doesn't hurt, does it?
"can’t possibly be what I actually said."
You comments seem indicate that you said something.
My friend (a good looking lady) has visited the Bronze (sorry about the brass thing) Boar a number of times.
She stands by her claim that she heard you take credit for thementalblock.net.
However, now that I have your comments, perhaps I'll win the bet. If I do, then I'll spend the proceeds in your bar.
Can I still smoke outside the bar?
Axil
posted by axilroze at 08:00 A.M. EST on Mon Mar 22, 2004 #
Even though all smoking at the Boar has to be outside on the decks, the key point is, "a restocked humidor". Nothing sadder than an empty humidor. I think an Arturo Fuente Hemingway is in order. Long ashes, Mr. Orr.
posted by jr at 09:31 A.M. EST on Mon Mar 22, 2004 #
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